| Year | Day/Month | Title |
| Aethelred the Unready (978 - 1016) |
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994 | |  Swein Fork-Beard becomes King of Denmark
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| | Swein Fork-Beard had overthrone this father King Harold Blue-Tooth Gormsson, King of Denmark in 988. With a huge fleet of 94 ships he arrived in the Thames estutary with Olaf Trygvasson by his side. London put up a good defence and drove the Vikings back so Fork-Beard moved his forces again to attack the south-east coast to plunder what he could find. |
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1003 | | Wilton and its abbey attacked
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| | Swein attacked the town of Wilton and possibly its abbey. |
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1004 | | Swein attacks Norfolk
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| | A Viking raiding fleet landed in Norfolk. The Ealdorman in the area was Ulfcetel who ordered some men to reach and burn the Viking ships to strand Swein. The plan failed and Ulfcetel's small army was defeated by the Vikings. |
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1006 | | Destruction of Walingford
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| | The Danes, led by Swein, attacked and destroyed the river crossing at Wallingford. |
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1009 | | Danes repeatedly attack England
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| | Swein Fork-Beard and Olaf Trygvasson repeatedly attacked England over several years destroying the land. |
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1012 | | Danegeld paid
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| | The Danes were paid a large sum of money, known as the Danegeld, to leave England. |
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1013 | | Swein Fork-Beard and Canute attack England
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| | Swein Fork-Beard and his son Canute sailed from Denmark to attack England. Again London defended itself and the Vikings moved elsewhere, taking Wessex, Mercia and Northumbria. |
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| Nov | London surrenders to Swein
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| | London was the last part of the country to accept Swein as the new king of England. Swein and his Viking army had already taken control of the Danelaw and the rest of the country accepted him as their new ruler. Swein's rule of the country would only last a few months. |
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1014 | | Athelred goes into exile
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| | Athelred had to abandon his country to Swein and went to Normandy to join his wife Emma and his sons. |
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| Feb 3 | Swein dies
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| | Swein Fork-Beard died. Canute left England not sure of his ability to hold the country but returned a year later. Athelred sent ambassadors to England, including his own son Edward (later the Confessor) to negotiate a possible return. |
